The Opposite of Small Talk: Recent Episodes
Danielle McCombs & Kristy Olinger
A podcast for curious people who know that there is no one right answer for how to live your best life. Finding new ideas about how to improve, and trying them out, is important! Join Danielle McCombs and Kristy Olinger, friends with similar mindsets and different perspectives, as they share the big and small ideas that changed them and test out new things in the ongoing trial and error of life. It’s short, fun, and easy to listen to… and it’s the opposite of small talk.
In the second installment of, The Opposite of Small Talk’s Coaches Corner, a new monthly mini segment, which explores topics through a coach’s lens, centers around the topic of group coaching.
This week’s guest coach, Kerry Dobson, a respected group coaching expert sits down with Danielle for the discussion.
Guest’s Website: JJ Dak Inc.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Contrary to the opening of the 1968 song by Harry Nilson, one is NOT the loneliest number, especially for those who are thriving in single life, like today’s guest, Bella DePaulo, PhD, social scientist, psychologist, researcher, and author of “Single at Heart.” She suggests that for her and many others, single is arguably the most authentic and fulfilling way to live. We speak to Dr. DePaulo about her own experiences, thoughts and take-aways from her book, as well as the affirming encouragement she offers to those who are happily single.
Guest’s Website: Home - Bella DePaulo
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
- Are you or someone you know single at heart?
- Have you ever done activities such as a concert or dinner solo? What was your experience? If not, would you be more apt to try it now?
- What are some misconceptions you or someone close to you has had about single life? Have your perspective or views on being single changed following this episode?
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com and find her work journal at Work Journal — Kristy Olinger.
In this #askmeanything episode, Kristy answers YOUR questions received in Instagram DMs and from participants of her team training program Communication Accelerator. Today's episode covers:
- How to motivate others
- How to handle a co-worker who is too assertive when you are not assertive
- Improving accountability
- Speaking to deliver an idea fully, without overwhelming the other person with too much information
For more workplace communication tips, follow Kristy on Instagram @ko.communication
Do you find that the work you do gives you a sense of purpose or that your contributions as an employee are important to a cause bigger than yourself? This week’s guest, Moe Carrick, author, podcast host, and CEO of the workplace culture consultancy, Momentum, Inc. views work as a human need. Moe brings her wealth of knowledge, and decades of experience in the study of workplace culture to our spirited discussion on the topic of Why Work Matters.
Guest’s Website: JMoementum, Inc. | Making organizations fit for human life.
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
- What are your conditions to thrive in a workplace? Are they being met at your current job, why or why not?
- Have you had to have a courageous conversation at work about your needs or the needs of a colleague as an employee or employer? If so, how did your employer react?
- Do you believe in the work that you do? Or do you see work as a means to an end?
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com and find her work journal at Work Journal — Kristy Olinger.
In this episode of The Opposite of Small Talk, Danielle introduces Coaches Corner's, a new monthly segment, which explores topics through a coaches lense. The inaugural guest is Julie Hess, author, executive coach, coaching supervisor and educator.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Guest’s Website: Catalyst Consulting – Catalyst Consulting & Coaching (catalystresults.com)
The Opposite of Small Talk Live (October 19th!): Live Podcast Event — The Opposite of Small Talk Podcast
We have reached peak election season in the United States and many of us are feeling the burnout from political discussions (arguments) and want to be able to genuinely connect with people, even those we disagree with. If you are feeling the election fatigue and struggling with what feels like a very divided world, this episode is for you. Today’s guest, Justin Jones-Fosu, author, highly sought-after business speaker, social entrepreneur, and meaningful work researcher provides us with some truly thought provoking, uplifting, useful advice on the topic of How to Respectfully Disagree in a Divided World.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com and find her work journal at Work Journal — Kristy Olinger.
Guest’s Book: Justin Jones-Fosu: I Respectfully Disagree (howtorespectfullydisagree.com)
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
- Have you chosen to take the exit on someone in the past because of your differences? How would you or will you do things differently now with that person?
- After this episode, is there someone you would like to delve into the gray with?
- Is there a person or persons in your life who you have been able to have a respectful disagreement with?
LIVE EVENT Oct 19th in BOSTON - LEARN MORE AND REGISTER
According to Bill Gates, "We all need people who will give us feedback. That's how we improve." But what do you wo when you ask for critical feedback and only ever receive praise? In this episode, Kristy shares 3 tips for how to get better feedback.
Follow us on Instagram @theoppositeofsmalltalk
As we enter the season of fall, it seems appropriate for us to discuss ghosts, but not the type of “ghosts” most people would think of at Halloween, today’s guest helps other authors write their stories as a ghostwriter. Kate Manley, author, coach, ghostwriter, and podcast host, joins us for a discussion on the topic, Writing Your Way Through Life. Kate encourages us to consider all forms of writing as a powerful way of expressing our thoughts throughout our life experiences.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com and find her work journal at Work Journal — Kristy Olinger.
The Opposite of Small Talk Live (October 19th!): Live Podcast Event — The Opposite of Small Talk Podcast
Guest’s Website: Kate Hanley - Author, Podcast Host, Writer, Ghostwriter, and Coach
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
- Have you ever or have you ever considered writing your own story or your own thoughts down before? If you have, how did it feel once you’d done it?
- Were you familiar with the term ghostwriter, prior to this episode?
- Did you consider other forms of writing, i.e. journaling, list making, note taking to be “real” writing?
- Do you have a different perspective on writing following this episode?
Most of us have experienced a significant amount of high stakes and low stakes negotiation in our personal lives, even when we don’t realize it. Whether it is negotiating the terms of a contract with a client, negotiating bedtime with a child, or negotiating a better deal at the car dealership it can feel daunting. Today’s guest, Fotini Iconomopoulos, best selling author of, “Say Less, Get More: Unconventional Negotiation Techniques to Get What You Want,” Fortune 50 advisor, coach, and speaker, brings her decades of impressive corporate experience and a ton of real world applicable advice to our conversation on the topic of Effective Negotiation.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com
The Opposite of Small Talk Live: Live Podcast Event — The Opposite of Small Talk Podcast
Kristy’s Work Journal: Work Journal — Kristy Olinger
Guest’s Website: Home - Fotini (fotiniicon.com)
Quiz: What's Your Negotiation Style Quiz - Fotini (fotiniicon.com)
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
- What has been the most difficult experience you’ve had with negotiation? What has been the most rewarding?
- Have you found yourself preparing for a negotiation beforehand? Follow this conversation will you be more likely to psych yourself up and prepare ahead?
- What lessons or advice did you find most helpful from this episode’s guest?
Ask yourself these questions: First, what's something in your life, right now, that you've been avoiding or delaying due to fear? Second question, If you knew you couldn't fail, what would you do?
Today’s guest, Collin Henderson, author, Fortune 500 speaker, and highly respected coach, asks his own clients these questions regularly. He joins us on our latest episode, to discuss the topic of Nurturing a Growth Mindset. During our conversation, Collin offers some advice and tools he’s learned through his work on himself; as a father of five children; and as a coach to clients including professional athletes. He also shares helpful insight into how it’s never too early to start supporting children in building their own self confidence and self image and how it’s never too late for adults to do the work on themselves and rebuild or strengthen their own sense of self personally and professionally.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com
Kristy’s Work Journal: Work Journal — Kristy Olinger
Guest’s Website: MASTER YOUR MINDSET (thecollinhenderson.com)
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
- Overall do you find your own self talk to be mostly positive, negative, or somewhere in between?
- Is there an experience growing up where you felt particularly supported by yourself or someone else in putting effort toward achieving a goal?
- Do you think your current focus or mindset is helping or hindering you in achieving what you want?
How many Mondays have you lived, how many Mondays do you have left? It may be a provocative or even unsettling question for some, but today’s guest looks at it more as motivation over morbidity. We speak to Jodi Wellman, author of the book, “You Only Die Once, How to Make it to the End with No Regrets,” on the topic of Making Friends with the Grim Reaper. She discusses how taking inventory of her mother’s personal items, following her death, was a catalyst for writing her book as well as for her general outlook on life. During the episode Jodi explains how facing the inevitability of death can really help us to live in the here and now and accomplish our goals.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com
Kristy’s Work Journal: Work Journal — Kristy Olinger
Guest’s Website and Book Information: Home | Four Thousand Mondays
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
- Following this episode, will you “count your Mondays?”
- Are you really present in your life currently or do you find yourself more stuck in the routine?
- If you sat quietly right now, like Jodi mentioned during the episode, what are some of the unfinished things you still want to accomplish?
Most people are familiar with the saying, “actions speak louder than words.” This week’s guest explains how your actions, facial expressions, and even the tone of your voice can communicate a lot about you to your colleagues, clients, friends, and acquaintances. Blake Eastman speaks to us on the topic of Nonverbal Communication and its important role in both professional and personal life. He emphasizes the importance of context in this essential form of communication; clears up some misconceptions related to the topic; and explains how video and audio playback are vital to his work.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com
Kristy’s Work Journal: Work Journal — Kristy Olinger
Guest’s Website: Nonverbal Group - Behavioral Research and Education
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
- Have you ever or would you consider recording yourself before a presentation, meeting or other work engagement in order to see how others see you?
- Was there something you heard in this episode that surprised you in terms of your communication style?
- Do you use or would you be open to using a journal or writing down your immediate thoughts following a professional engagement?
As human beings we have many unique ways of communicating with one another including sharing some of our most personal thoughts, which when verbalized or written down can give others a deeper insight into who we are inside. This week’s guest has learned, first-hand, and now teaches others that storytelling can be a powerful tool that each of us possesses, whether we know it yet or not. Katherine Kennedy, a teacher, storytelling coach and author of the book, Speaking to What Matters: My story of learning how to share what’s inside, released in fall 2023, discusses with us the topic of The Act of Storytelling.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com
Guest’s Bio: TED Talk, Speech Coach, Storytelling (katherinekennedysf.com)
Guest’s book: Amazon.com: Katherine Kennedy: books, biography, latest update
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
- Have you ever sat down and shared your story with someone else or had someone share their personal story with you? If so, what changed following that experience?
- Is there someone in your life that immediately comes to mind who you’d be comfortable storytelling with?
- Are you someone who would consider telling your story in public or would you prefer to write it down?
- Have you ever asked a parent, grandparent, or relative to share their story with you? If not, following this episode, would you now consider it in order to potentially strengthen that bond?
It could be argued that at no other time in history has there been more external distractions in the average person’s daily life than there are today. This week’s guest Nir Eyal, bestselling author, teacher, consultant, and lecturer, discusses his book, “Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life” as well as the topic of Traction vs. Distraction. During our discussion Nir stresses the importance of the four strategies or principles that can help us break away from distraction, how to identify what it is we want to gain traction on in our own lives, the distractions getting in the way of this, and the internal and external triggers that may be bringing on those distractions. Finally, he shares how making pacts with ourselves can be a powerful tool in taking that final step toward choosing your life.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com
Guest’s Bio: Nir Eyal Official Site: Articles, Videos, and Newsletter (nirandfar.com)
Guest’s book: Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life (nirandfar.com)
To commemorate Juneteenth, we are rebroadcasting an episode that originally aired in December of 2021.
In this episode Danielle and Kristy talk with Janese Murray, a thought leader in the field of diversity and inclusion, about race in the United States. We touch on critical race theory; what it is, what it isn’t, and what you can do about it. We talk about why laws are important but not enough, and how personal stories can make big impacts in the hearts and minds of individuals. The outlook is optimistic, some days… but culture change is a long game and it can be tough to know if it's going well. Ironically, resistance can be a signal that we're on the right track.
Connect with us on Instagram: @theoppositeofsmalltalk
The month of June is upon us and with it brings many rites of passage including graduation season. This episode is especially timely for new grads; anyone who may be looking to make a change in their career path; or even for someone who loves their current job and isn’t ashamed to admit it. This week’s guest, Erika Ayers Badan, the first CEO of Barstool Sports and current CEO of Food52, as well as author of the new book, “Nobody Cares About Your Career,” available on June 11th, speaks to us on the topic of Career Fulfillment and Success. She discusses how she embraces being a self described, career “nerd” who loves to work; explains how things like taking risks or experiencing failures, on your career path, can lead to growth and success; and offers some advice on navigating some of the more difficult and tricky things that come with a career – like the do’s and don'ts of socializing with coworkers or clients outside of work.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com
Guest’s Bio: Introducing Food52's New CEO
Guest’s book: Nobody Cares About Your Career (macmillan.com) (Available June 11, 2024)
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
- Are you or have you ever been a “career nerd” like Erika and Kristy?
- What kinds of failures or struggles have you faced in your career that you think have helped you to grow?
- Have you ever chosen a career because of someone else’s influence or to gain the approval or praise of someone else?
There are multiple good reasons to be funny at work; it’s proven to release stress, it inspires and motivates teams (according to research), and it’s well… fun. Listen to this episode to learn about different kinds of humor to start using at work and what to avoid.
WORK JOURNAL: Build a reflection habit that turns every interaction into an opportunity for growth. Find it
Do you have a workplace communication question? Send Kristy a DM on Instagram @KO.Communication
Have you ever heard the saying, be your own biggest fan? That type of self confidence and assurance can be attainable according to our latest guest. In this episode, we discuss the topic of Gravitas: Living a Life of Self Assurance with entrepreneur and author, Lisa Sun. Lisa shared how we can learn a lot from the self-confidence displayed by 5 year olds; we discuss the eight types of confidence “superpowers” and Danielle and Kristy’s results from the superpower quiz; and examples of ways in which we can do the work and reflection needed to shift our mindset and come to our place of personal gravitas.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com
Guest’s website: ABOUT GRAVITAS (gravitasnewyork.com)
Guest’s book: Gravitas: The 8 Strengths That Redefine Confidence: Sun, Lisa: 9781401972530: Amazon.com: Books
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
- Is there a time in your life, so far, where you’ve felt the most self-confident?
- Do you feel more or less confident than you felt 10 years ago?
- Do you feel less confident in a room full of strangers or a room full of friends? Why?
- Are your closest friends, ones that you share values or demographics with?
In this episode of The Opposite of Small Talk, Danielle shares her experience of attending an Improv class. She provides ways that improv skills are put to use in real life.
Domestic and interpersonal violence do not discriminate and can happen to people from all walks of life. In this episode, we have a Discussion on Domestic and Interpersonal Violence with our guest, Jennifer Peterkin. Jennifer helps us to understand the difficulties of recognizing and exiting a violent relationship as well as some of the harmful stereotypes and expectations society has pushed in regards to domestic and interpersonal violence. We also discuss ways you can support a loved one or friend who you believe to be in this type of toxic relationship, while also protecting your own mental, emotional, and physical health.
If you or someone you love is experiencing domestic or interpersonal violence there are resources available. Visit Domestic Violence (justice.gov) for more information and resources.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com
Guest’s podcast: The Human Experience (thehxpod.com)
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
- Did you know much about the topic of domestic and interpersonal violence prior to this episode?
- Do you recognize in your own life or someone close to you a relationship that may be toxic?
- In what ways do you try to actively listen and support your friends or loved ones? Following this episode are their techniques you learned that may help you to be more supportive?
What do you do with those few minutes after you've joined a meeting when some people have arrived, but not everyone is there yet so the meeting can't get started?
Do you turn to your email inbox? Do you sit in awkward silence? Or do you initiate conversation with the group?
In this episode Kristy shares the secret that will make it easier to connect with your colleagues and build rapport quickly during that weird pre-meeting phase.
Visit: kristyolinger.com to learn how Kristy can help you and your team with workplace communication skill building.
Have you ever felt like you are your own “worst enemy” or that you just can’t seem to get out of your own way personally or professionally? This may be what this week’s guest would refer to as an “upper limit” problem. In this episode, we speak to Gay Hendricks on the topic of Overcoming Upper Limits and Self-Sabotage. Gay shares his own personal struggles, how he came to recognize patterns of self-sabotage, and some of the techniques he uses to help others break through sabotaging behaviors to achieve liberation in their daily lives.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com
Guest’s website: Home - Hendricks Institute
Guest’s books: Amazon.com: Gay Hendricks: books, biography, latest update
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
- After listening to this week’s guest, do you think you’ve experienced upper limits or self-sabotage? Is there a clear pattern on how or when you’ve done this in the past?
- What do you most love to do?
- What do you think some of your biggest contributions to the world might be?
In this special TOOST episode we had the opportunity to sit down for a conversation with Dr. Yanique Redwood, author, speaker, and facilitator, and Kate Schatz, now a three-time TOOST podcast guest, following an experimental event they held in Fall 2023 in Oakland, CA, with the goal of centering black female voices and experiences as well as a book talk on Dr. Redwood’s book, White Women Cry and Call Me Angry, moderated by Kate. We delve deeper into that experience, what takeaways came out of this event, and the further work that needs to be done to create safe spaces particularly for black women and women of color sharing their experiences.
Dr. Yanique Redwood’s website
Kate Schatz’s website
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
- Would you attend an experimental event like the one described by Dr. Redwood and Kate?
- Do you find yourself listening more to people who share experiences different than your own? Or do you find it hard to listen without interjecting your own experience?
- What are some ways you try to create a safe space for others? After this episode, are you more committed to safe spaces?
In this episode Kristy is interviewed with Lisa Gillette of Big Sky Coaching on her podcast Grace, Grit, and Getting it Done! Kristy shares her experience of struggling with workplace communication as a mid-career professional how she learned to be more prepared to speak up at work.
https://gracegritgettingitdone.com/
For most of us, at some point in our lives, we will come to a crossroads with a job or career, be it from burnout, finding it no longer brings us joy, or it doesn’t align with our values or goals. If or when we reach that crossroads, it may mean quitting or leaving that job or career behind. In this episode, we discuss with Amani Zaveri the topic of The Art of Quitting. Amani shares with us some of the benefits of quitting, reasons or circumstances that may hold us back, and finally, she offers advice on how to gracefully quit without burning bridges.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com.
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
- Have you ever quit a job? What were the circumstances that led you to that decision?
- Did this episode resonate with you or make you think deeper about your current circumstances?
- What advice have you or would you offer a loved one or friend who is contemplating quitting a job? Were you or would you be supportive?
- Would you quit something without having a plan/next opportunity lined up?
In this episode Danielle explores the real meaning of listening, the three types of listening and how to practice to be a better listener.
It’s true, we’re not a one size fits all society, but individuals deemed as overweight, obese, or fat can face a rush to judgment and unfair treatment based solely on their larger body size. Today’s guest Kate Manne discusses with us the topic of How to Face Fatphobia. Kate shares with us some fascinating historical origins of the Body Mass Index (BMI); ways fat phobia shows up in areas of society including in medical treatment; and other relevant topics tackled in her book, released in January 2024, titled, Unshrinking: How to Face Fatphobia.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com
Guest’s book: Unshrinking by Kate Manne: 9780593593837 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books
Guest’s website: Kate Manne - ABOUT
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
- Have you or someone close to you ever experienced fatphobia? In what ways? How did you or they respond to it?
- Have you ever avoided medical care because of fear of judgment or bias?
- Did you ever find yourself trying a fad diet, exercise regime, or drug in order to lose weight? How did you feel afterwards?
This episode is for you if you’re overwhelmed with meetings and spending nights and weekends catching up on work that you couldn’t get to during the day. Learn practical steps to take today to get your work hours under control.
Work with Kristy: Learn more about workplace communication workshops and contsulting at www.kristyolinger.com
Many of us associate the season of winter with hibernation and the need for extra rest. Just as some animals and plants hibernate during winter – we too, as humans, need a dedicated period of time to rest and recharge. So, what do you do when sleep doesn’t come as easily as it should?
This week we speak to Monica Le Baron on the topic of Sleep Simplified. Monica shares how several experiences including a relocation impacted the quality of her own sleep, some easy beginners steps she recommends in her book by the same name, “Sleep Simplified: Simple Tools to Reduce Anxiety, Finish the Stress Cycle, and Sleep Like a Queen,” and how yoga nidra, a form of guided meditation, has been a real game changer for her on her journey to good quality sleep.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com
Guest’s book: Sleep Simplified: Simple Tools to Reduce Anxiety, Finish the Stress Cycle, and Sleep like a Queen
Guest's website: MONICA LE BARON, LLC
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
- Has there been a time in your life, in which you recall having the best or worst quality sleep?
- Had you heard of yoga nidra prior to this episode? Would you try it or another form of meditation to help you sleep?
- Do you currently have a night and morning routine or specific bed time that you try to stick to?
Just in time for “Galentine’s Day,” this special episode features author Rhaina Cohen on the topic of, The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center. Her book, by the same name, was released today. We discuss excerpts from the book, the unique friendship stories she’s found through her research; and how her own close friendship was the catalyst to her interest in this topic.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com
Guest’s new book: The Other Significant Others (macmillan.com)
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
- Do you have a friendship that immediately comes to mind following this episode’s discussion?
- What lengths have you or would you go to for a friend? What lengths has a friend gone to for you?
- Do you celebrate your closest friendships in a unique or special way (i.e. “Galentine’s Day” style)?
- Have you found it hard to balance a romantic relationship and close friendships in past situations?
"The biggest problem in communication is the illusaion that it has taken place" according to George Bernard Shaw. In this episode, Kristy covers the communication cycle and the different blockers that can prevent your message from getting through to your intended recipient.
If your team is ready to upskill workplace communication to make work easier, learn more about workshops and team training programs at kristyolinger.com
For more workplace communication tips, follow Kristy on Instagram at @ko.communication
Many people tend to believe that professional success is measured by the amount of money in their bank account and that the harder they work the more successful they’ll become, but what happens when that type of “hustle harder” mentality leaves you burned out and disenchanted? This week’s guest suggests there is an alternative that offers a balance between hard work and success. Today we speak to Matt LeBris on the topic of “Mindful Hustling.” Matt suggests, through his own experiences, that he’s learned over the years, how to apply mindfulness to his natural mentality to hustle for what he wants and how the challenges he was facing five years ago personally, pursuing therapy for the first time, as well as the launch of his podcast were catalysts for his own transformational shift.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com
Guest website: Matt Lebris – Award Winning Entrepreneur, Speaker, Podcast Host
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
- What kind of reaction does the word “hustle” bring up for you?
- Would you consider yourself a curious person? Are there certain subjects that spark more curiosity for you then others?
- Had you heard the term “mindful hustle” prior to this episode? What are your thoughts on this concept?
In this episode Danielle shares tips and ideas on how to stay authentic and true to yourself through all different stages of your career. By idenifying and reevealuating your core values, strengths and super powers throughout your life you can honor yourself at all stages of your career.
When the clock strikes midnight on January 1st, each year, we often dedicate ourselves to resolutions or new habits, but what about dedicating ourselves to less burnout and more personal growth? This week we speak to Kate Vanden Bos on the topic of the Soul Path Growth Cycle. During our discussion Kate shares how through her work she encourages her clients to listen to their whole self – body, mind, and soul when facing burnout or looking for personal growth; she stresses the importance of balancing intuition and intellect; and we finish this insightful conversation with a deeper dive into the Soul Path Growth Cycle process.
TOOST listeners can now get $100 off the Soul Path Growth Cycle by going to www.katevandenbos.com/growth. Use code: DANIELLE at checkout.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com
Guest website: Kate Vanden Bos | Leading with Intuition
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
- Do you connect with the idea of needing to be in control or do it all?
- How often do you trust a colleague or loved one with a task that you would have otherwise completed yourself?
- Do you think you rely more on intuition, intellect, or an even balance of both, in your personal or professional life?
REGISTER FOR THE 'CHOOSE YOUR LIFE' CHALLENGE - STARTING JAN 15 2024
Work shouldn't be this hard and it shouldn't be a barrier to living the life you want. In this episode, Kristy talks about why improving communication could be the key that unlocks a work life that is easier, more effective, and more enjoyable.
Follow Kristy on Instagram for more workplace communication tips.
Register for the Choose Your Life Challenge - Use promo code LISTENER20 for a 20% discount!
The new year is a great time to reflect on our personal goals and harness our strengths and emotions to reach them. Today’s guest explains how even awkwardness, in social situations, can be a powerful tool to get where you want to go this new year. In this episode we talk with Henna Pryor, a fellow University of Delaware alumna (go Fighting Blue Hens!), on the topic of Good Awkward. During this entertaining and insightful discussion, Henna shares pieces from her book by the same name, “Good Awkward,”; discusses how awkwardness is unique from other emotions; and shares first-hand lessons she’s learned from her own awkward moments.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com
Guest website: Henna Pryor – Speaker, Strategist, + Leadership & Performance Coach – Modern Keynote Speaking, Performance Optimization, and Executive Coaching for High Achievers (pryoritygroup.com)
Order her book: Good Awkward. Confidence and courage, a better way. BUY NOW! – Henna Pryor – Speaker, Strategist, + Leadership & Performance Coach (pryoritygroup.com)
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
- Have you had an awkward moment in a social situation that stands out to you?
- Do you think you're more or less awkward than your friends or family?
- In the past have you tried to avoid awkwardness? How did avoiding it work out for you?
Register for the Choose Your Life Challenge - Use promo code LISTENER20 for a 20% discount!
In this episode Kristy and Danielle review 2023; the themes, the milestones, and hopes for the future.
Do you have an idea for a topic or guest? Contact Danielle and Kristy
In this episode of The Opposite of Small Talk, Danielle gives a quick talk about the importance of CELEBRATING!
When the holiday season rolls around do you ever feel like singing, “deck the halls with stress and chaos?” If so, you’re not alone, but there are solutions and in this episode we talk with Laura Vanderkam on the topic of Scheduling Intentionality. We begin the conversation with Laura finding out what an average Tuesday looks like for her, we touch on the phenomenon of “revenge procrastination” particularly related to bedtime, we discuss how much free time we actually have available to us on an average day and the reflective work we can do through logging that time to maximize its potential.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com.
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
- Do you ever find yourself practicing “revenge procrastination” around bedtime?
- What are some productive ways that you spend your free time? What are some unproductive ways?
- Have you ever thought about logging your free time to reflect on it at a later date?
If you don't have enough time to do your work because you're always in meetings, this episode is for you.
Kristy walks through a series of simple steps that will help you reclaim your time and break up with bad meeting using a calendar audit.
WORK WITH KRISTY:
Kristy helps mid-career corporate professionals to communicate better at work through interactive workships, team programs, and 1:1 consulting.
https://www.kristyolinger.com
Pain can be found in every corner of our world, but so can joy. Today’s guest encourages us to seek the joy from within and harness it in powerful and life changing ways. In this episode we talk with Tanmeet Sethi, MD on the topic of Joy as a Human Right. During this moving and powerful discussion, Dr. Sethi explains the difference between happiness and joy; offers tips to those who aren’t sure how to begin tapping into their own joy; and discusses the current inequities and stigmas surrounding access to mental healthcare and the use of psychedelics as a treatment option.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
- Do you believe that joy is something that every human has access to?
- Do you think that you let yourself feel joy fully? When was the last time you felt joyful?
- What are your thoughts about taking psychedelic drugs to relieve mental illnesses?
This fourth anniversary episode of TOOST was recorded in front of a live audience on October 21, 2023, at Neon in San Francisco. In this special episode, Danielle and Kristy take a look back at how the podcast started and some of the triumphs and challenges. Dia Bondi, who originally appeared as their guest in episode 71, returns for a discussion about her new book, “Ask Like an Auctioneer,” available today; and Dia takes questions from the live audience on the topic of how to “ask for more and get it.”
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com
Guest website: Dia Bondi - Home
Order Ask Like an Auctioneer
In this episode Kristy tackles three interesting and complex questions from followers. M wonders how she should respond when her team laughs about her authoritative style in a meeting, L feels undervalued as the youngest member of her team, and S wonders how to build rapport when he is not a person that socializes over drinks and coffee.
If you'd like to submit a workplace communication questions email Kristy HERE or follow on Instagram @KO.Communication
The world can be a scary place – some of our fears are very real and others are of our own making. This week’s guest addresses identifying and utilizing healthy fear as a tool for personal growth. In this week’s episode we talk with Farnoosh Torabi, a muti-bestselling financial author and go-to money expert, on what it means to be in a healthy state of panic. We discuss details from her latest book, by the same name, A Healthy State of Panic, how the surprising combination of fear and finance go hand-in-hand, and how a healthy fear of loneliness during her early college years led her to personal growth and finding herself.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
- What are some of your biggest fears?
- How often have you allowed yourself to recognize and utilize those fears for personal growth?
- Have you ever allowed a fear to stop you from accomplishing something? Going forward will you now “remember who you are?”
In this episode Danielle talks about the difference between doing and being. She offers some ways to get more being into your life.
Sometimes we’re so wrapped up in the past or worried about the future that we forget how to really live in the present. In this episode we talk with Catherine Duncan about How to Have Everyday Awakenings. Catherine shares her unique perspective on living in the moment – not only having experienced two near-death experiences of her own, but also while serving as a hospital chaplain. We discuss some of the surprising things she learned about living from her interactions with terminal patients, how even newbies can take small steps to ground themselves in the present, and how Catherine herself starts each new day of life.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
- How do you define, “the mystery of life?”
- Do you try to stay in the present moment? In what ways?
- Which of the practices Catherine suggested, in order to ground yourself in the present, most spoke to you and why?
There is something that you use every day to communicate, but never think about. It influences how you are perceived by others. It's something you can eaisly develop with practice. It's your voice. In this episode, you'll learn the characteristics of the voice, how to use vocal variety to sound more interesting and confident, and an easy practice activity to improve.
Looking for more ways to improve your workplace communication? Follow me on social:
Instagram @KO.Communication
TikTok @KO.Communication
We have so many devices that we need to recharge on a daily basis – cell phones, tablets, watches, but what about ourselves? In this episode we talk with Lori Saitz about Living a sabbatical life. Lori shares how following a month-long sabbatical, of her own, which included a roadtrip with her beloved cat, showed her the benefits of taking a sabbatical. We discuss how to live a sabbatical life without leaving our jobs and obligations and the steps we can take to begin.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com
Register for the live recording on October 21st in San Francisco here: The Opposite of Small Talk Podcast LIVE
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
- What are some activities or hobbies that you think could help recharge your battery?
- Do you judge yourself or others for what you might perceive as being “lazy?”
- In the past have you taken a sabbatical or baked time into your daily schedule for recharging/fun? Will you make it more of a priority now?
In this episode of The Opposite of Small Talk, Danielle shares a her experience of opening up her creativity through writing. She reads a piece that she wrote while in a Gateless Writing Salon about a time she was surprised.
As humans one of our strongest instincts is to build and strengthen connections with one another. In this episode we talk with Tony Martignetti about Creating Deeper Connections. We discuss the positives of creating deeper connections in the workplace, how connecting with yourself is a critical first step, and how Tony encourages clients to share their “weird” to open up or deepen those connections.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com.
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
- So, what is your “weird” thing about yourself?
- How will you start to deepen connections in your personal or professional life?
- Do you find it easy to connect with others particularly co-workers or are you more guarded and why?
One of the toughest things about being in the mid-level of a company is that your success depends on your ability to collaborate with people and teams that you don't directly manage. It's not enough to just do your work well. You have to be able to influence without authority to deliver together.
Being able to hold people accountable without being a jerk is an advanced communication skill and critical to collaborative work. In this episode, Kristy shares why she lets the person closest to the work name the deadline whenever possible and why in some situations a less assertive approach could make sense.
Work with Kristy: If your team is struggling with holding people accountable, upskill with workshops or on demand digital training experiences.
Anyone who has walked through the fragrance department during a day of shopping knows there is an abundant number of smells (and choices) out there when it comes to a signature scent. What they may not have thought about, however, is the deeper meaning behind the scents that draw us in or repel us. In this episode we talk with Helida Dodd, an engineer by trade who fell in love with the art and science behind scents, about Harnessing Your Sense of Smell. Helida shares with us how an extreme sensitivity to perfumes during her pregnancy brought her to the work she does, why an engineer would be drawn to this work, and how we can ignite memories, both good and bad, from what we smell.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
- What are some of your favorite scents/combination of scents? Can you think of a memory or memories that are triggered when you smell them?
- Do you find yourself more drawn to invigorating or grounding scents in your daily life?
- Following the episode and hearing how scent is such a personal choice, is a gift like a candle, scented lotion, or home fragrance something you would think to give as a gift to someone else still? Why or why not?
In this solo episode Danielle shares a powerful quote that has meant a lot to her and encourages listeners to reflect on how they are showing up in the world.
At the end of a stressful or demanding day, do you ever feel like your inner child could use a hug? Well then in today’s episode, you’ve come to the right place! In this episode we talk with Tina Hamilton on the topic of Getting to know your inner child. Tina shares some examples of how experiences from our childhood can impact how we now react or parent; how she recognized in herself the need to reconnect to, reflect and work on healing her inner child; and ways she now helps her clients to do the same.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
- Do you feel like your parents were strict or unstrict? What are some examples?
- What are some of the ways that your parents parented that you decided to adopt when you had kids? What are things that you decided to do differently?
- How has your perspective of parenting changed now that you are a grandparent? What are some things you do differently now as a grandparent?
Inevitably, throughout the course of our lives, the majority of us will at one time or another ask or be asked what we deem an “uncomfortable question” on a myriad of hot button topics including, race, gender inequality, and gender identity. In this episode we talk with Melina Cordero, who went from, as she describes it, a “corporate executive to equity trailblazer,” on the topic of Uncomfortable Questions About Race. We discuss her approach to uncomfortable questions and phrases; some of the barriers that we face in trying to understand one another’s human experiences; and how a conversation can sometimes be more effective than any other action.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com
Interested in The Opposite of Small Talk Merch? Visit: www.theoppositeofsmalltalk.com/merch.
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
After this episode and advice from Melina are you more likely to ask “uncomfortable” questions in your personal or professional life? How will you now approach those questions?
Do you agree that each of us has a shared responsibility to further the discussion around equity and inclusion?
What were your feelings or reactions, prior to this episode, regarding the terms ally and white privilege? Following the episode have those feelings or reactions changed or deepened?
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If you were to search the term 'managing up' you would get a wide variety of definitions, but you would notice a common idea that managing up is something that benefits your boss. Articles from the Wall Street Journal and Harvard Business Review talk about things like anticipating your managers needs and adapting to their style. While these ideas have merit, they aren't the full picture.
Managing up is really about managing your manager to do the things you need to make your job easier. Managing up has been one of the key concepts that has improved both my work experience and work outcomes. In this expisode, Kristy shares examples of how to manage up.
Follow Kristy Instagram: @ko.communication
Work with Kristy: www.kristyolinger.com
In 2020, many of us went from social drinking to socially isolated drinking. In this episode we talk with Nell Hurley, a Gray Area Drinking Coach, about the topic of understanding our relationship with alcohol. Nell shares her own relationship with sobriety, defines the terms Gray Area Drinking and sober curiosity, and offers advice for anyone who may think they fall into these categories.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
- Was gray area drinking a term you were familiar with before today’s episode?
- Is sober curiosity something you’ve been interested in exploring, if you haven’t already?
- How do you cope with difficult feelings or situations? Do you have a hobby or interest, like Nell has with running, that offers you an outlet?
Following a series of events that caused grief, isolation, and fear this week’s guest found her purpose and calling to help others. In this episode, we talk with Amanda McKoy Flannagan about Trusting Yourself to be All in. Amanda shares how the grief and losses in her life, her almost two decades of sobriety, and the global pandemic helped her to do the work to heal from generational family dysfunction and discover her true self. We also discuss her first book, released in early May and titled, Trust Yourself to be All in: Safe to Love and Let Go, which she hopes will help others.
Amanda's website: https://www.amandamckoyflanagan.com/
TALK BIG QUESTIONS
Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
- What are some of the difficult life events, in your past, that you’ve gone through and conquered? How did you do it?
- Was the term generational family trauma something you were familiar with prior to this episode? What does it mean in your own experience?
- How well do you think you know your true self? What are some ways you are going to work to discover your true self moving forward?
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com
Access the Work Journal prompts <>
Normally solo episodes are just that... solo. But for this episode Kristy is sharing her interview with Matt Gilhooly from The Life Shift podcast.
In this interview Kristy shares the story of a very specific moment that changed the trajectory of her life. It woke her up from living a life on auto-pilot and was the catalyst for restarting a journaling practice. You could say this life shift moment is the origin story of all of the personal growth from the last 5 years. Without that moment and the resulting practice of journaling regularly there may never have been a podcast, a speaking business, a renewed family focus, a job change. The story starts with a pound of cheese and terrible late night TV.
Did you like this episode? Get connected to The Life Shift Podcast and Matt:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/thelifeshiftpodcast
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelifeshiftpodcast
YouTube: https://bit.ly/thelifeshift_youtube
Twitter: www.twitter.com/thelifeshiftpod
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thelifeshiftpodcast
Website: www.thelifeshiftpodcast.com
A discussion on the phenomenon of Imposter Syndrome is a springboard to a deeper dive on societal pressures for both women and men, and the systemic factors that may have influenced them. In this episode we talk with Kim Meninger about Imposter Syndrome and Societal Pressures. We cover the phenomenon of imposter syndrome in the workplace, discuss the ways it’s both a personal and systemic problem and how some of its causes could be rooted in childhood.
TALK BIG QUESTIONS - Use these prompts to have the opposite of small talk in real life.
- Have you ever experienced impostor syndrome? What happened?
- Do you think that impostor syndrome is more related to systems & environments or individuals & their mental models?
- What can we do to help men and boys to have outlets to relate with others about the human experience beyond a narrow identity of being strong?
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com
In this episode Danielle talks about her experience of tuning into her sense of hearing after reading Gretchen Rubin's latest book "Life in Five Senses" and forgetting her airpods on a trip to New York City.
During the course of our daily lives, many of us can take for granted the simple tasks we’re able to complete with little effort or difficulty. In this episode we talk with Diana Elizabeth Jordan on the topic of Ability Privilege. Diana shares her unique perspective, how to create space to discuss difficult topics, and how we can all be more inclusive of one another’s experiences and needs, in particular the 25% of people who have disabilities.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com
Having a micromanager is a very specific kind of terrible work experience. This episode covers the mindset shift that could help in the short term, a couple of strategies to address it, and an important question to ask yourself to be sure you’re seeing this from every possible angle.
If you like this episode and want more workplace communication strategies, follow Kristy on Instagram @ko.communication
Website: www.kristyolinger.com
Have you ever wondered who comes up with the witty and compelling promos for your favorite television shows? Well, today we have the answer, our latest guest, that’s who! In this episode we talk with Laura Belgray about Living your best life when you’re the f-ing worst. She talks about her journey from copywriting to finding her own authentic voice in her new book; connecting with fellow late bloomers through her personal storytelling, and how she encourages others to be unapologetically and authentically themselves, flaws and all.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit Kristy’s website at www.kristyolinger.com
If you are an introvert or have ever been curious about what it means to be an introvert in an extroverted world – this episode is for you! Today, we talk with Andrea Sandu on the topic of introverts. She shares her own first-person experience as an introvert in an extroverted world, some ways she learned to advocate for herself professionally, and guidelines that an extrovert can use, to better communicate with their introverted colleagues.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit www.kristyolinger.com to learn more.
The podcast comes full circle with this special episode which features a guest whose work, unbeknownst to him, has served as an inspiration to The Opposite of Small Talk over the last several years. In this episode we talk with W. Kamau Bell about his new documentary, 1000% Me; Growing Up Mixed, released this month on HBO Max. We touch on some of the insightful things he learned from the mixed kids and families featured in the documentary including his own children, and how they give him hope for the future.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication. Visit www.kristyolinger.com to learn more.
Being a human is hard! May is Mental Health Awareness month, Danielle shares the things that she does in order to keep her mental health in check.
In this milestone episode, we share and discuss clips that are a good representation of what this podcast is all about about; connection, reflection, and social justice. If you’ve never listened to this podcast before, this episode would be a good place to start. If you’re a long time listener, join us in this walk down memory lane. We close with some hopes for the future of the podcast and recognize that in some ways, this is just the beginning.
Featured clips include the following episodes:
Episode 1: Originality
Episode 9: How to make friends
Episode 10: Combatting Negative Self-Talk, with Chanee Momoko
Episode 17: Big talk about whiteness, with Kate Schatz
Episode 42: Childfree by Choice, with Julie Brown
Episode 52: Unfollow your Passion, with Terri Trespicio
Episode 68: Evolving Masculinity, with Christopher Veal
Should you curse at work? Yes!…sometimes… with ground rules. In this solo episode of the podcast, Kristy shares why she curses at work and the three ground rules she follows.
If you’re looking to improve your workplace communication, you can hire Kristy to work with you one-on-one to build your skills. Visit www.kristyolinger.com to learn more.
For many of us, life is all about the routine and sometimes we have to remind ourselves to shut off autopilot, challenge ourselves, and start living. In this episode we talk with Arielle Estoria on the topic of Letting Yourself Unfold. Arielle shares the sources of inspiration and influence for her book of poetry, “The Unfolding: An Invitation to Come Home to Yourself,” reads a stirring excerpt from the book, and offers advice on taking the first steps in unfolding our own lives.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication.
It is well documented that strong relationships and friendships can extend your life. In this episode Danielle talks about the power of connection in her life and how we should rethink measuring it.
As the to-do list gets longer each day, at work and home, we sometimes forget to prioritize fun, joy, and creativity. In this episode we talk with Kristina Eisenhower about Creativity: How to Stop Working and Start Playing. We cover Kristina’s commitment to live a creative life, how she inspires others, and ways anyone can get started on prioritizing creativity, right now!
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication.
Some of the most productive and valuable meetings happen between two people, this is because 2-person meetings create an environment that requires engagement. In this episode, Kristy shares three kinds of 2-person meetings that should be on your calendar and how to get the most from them.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication.
Follow on Instagram @ko.communication and @theoppositeofsmalltalk
Today’s guest has worked for the likes of the Pentagon and Butterball Turkey discovering along the way how human behavior and leadership intersect. In this episode, we talk with Catie Campbell about Taking Ownership of Your Life. We find out how her psychology degree and a doubting professor were the beginning of a dynamic career in business, how she coaches business leaders to take ownership by being, “rooted in reality,” and ways we can do the same.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication.
On this International Women’s Day, when we celebrate the achievements of women from around the globe, embrace and celebrate your own personal power! In this episode we speak with Melissa Martin, a Business & Embodiment Coach, on the topic of personal power, why it’s important, how to harness it, and ways to make it an everyday practice in your personal and professional life.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication.
It’s been said many times that life’s a journey and for the majority of us that journey will include its fair share of joy, heartache, love, and loss. In this episode we talk with Matt Gilhooly about the topic of “life shifts,” and how through sharing his personal story and that of his guests on his podcast, he’s found purpose, hope, and healing.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication.
Just when we started to figure out virtual meetings, we have a new variation – the hybrid meeting; where a portion of the group are gathered in person and others are remote. This format is here to stay, and requires thoughtful facilitation strategies to be effective. In this episode, Kristy shares three tips to improve participant’s experience during hybrid meetings.
Visit: kristyolinger.com for more workplace communication tips.
If you are looking to improve communication at work, hire Kristy as a speaker or 1-on-1 consultant.
A chance encounter with Oprah, yes that Oprah, led to a life shifting hobby for this week’s guest. In this episode we talk to Jill Donovan about the power of hobbies. Jill discusses how she got started on this now decades-long journey, the ways she encourages those around her to do the same, as well as the tricks she uses to keep herself on track.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication.
In this episode, Danielle talks about what intution is. She gives an example of how following her intuition has enhanced her life and shares some ways to tap into your own intuition.
There’s never a wrong time to bet on yourself! In this special episode Danielle interviews Kristy covering the topic of career transition, the lessons Kristy’s learned during this process, and how her own career transition into development, after two decades, has been a breath of fresh air for her professionally.
Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication.
Have you ever felt like it’s too late to make a change in your life? Like the clock has run out on following your dreams? Even smaller dreams, like trying a tap dance class or visiting a new place, get pushed aside and never move into action. You worry about what others will say and that you’ll look stupid if it doesn’t work out. You struggle to start.
In this episode Danielle and Kristy talk about the ‘Choose Your Life’ Challenge, a 30 day interactive experience that gives you the confidence to live the life you want.
Learn More and Register
Use promo code LISTENER30 for a special discount.
A New Year brings talk of resolutions, goal setting, and fresh starts… could the key to achieving what you want in 2023, whether personally or professionally, be your mindset? In this episode, we talk with Nicole Cramer about her experiences as a high school educator and a corporate sales professional and how they both helped to shape her, her mindset, and the services she provides to her clients as a successful sales coach.
Choose Your Life: Gain the confidence to live the life you want through this 30 day interactive experience.
- Work with Danielle: If you are ready to start working with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life, visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentary exploratory session.
- Work with Kristy: You can work with Kristy one-on-one or hire her to speak with your team to improve workplace communication.
Email is one of the primary communication channels at work. If you're consistently missing due dates or work requests because you mismanage your inbox, you get a reputation for being disorganized and unresponsive. It can hurt your work relationships. The email systems you have in place and how well they work drive your ability to communicate and build relationships and influence at work. In this episode Kristy shares why she started using the inbox zero method over a year ago and how you can set up a similar system for yourself.
If you are looking to improve communication at work, hire Kristy as a speaker or 1-on-1 consultant.
Danielle and Kristy reflect on the episodes released in 2022. We share the ideas that impacted our lives most. If you’re behind on listening, be sure to catch these episodes.
Episode 65: Improving Filter Quality to Protect Your Time, with Dr. John Tuders
Episode 66: Visual Communicating, with Todd Cherches
Episode 63: Finding Your Feminine Genius, with Gina Marotta
Episode 58: Addiction Recovery, One Day at a Time, with Guy Mercadante
Episode 71: Ask Like An Auctioneer, with Dia Bondi
Episode 70: Find your superpowers, with Michael Tertes
Episode 72: Understanding Grief, with Maria Belanic
Episode 75: How to amplify inclusion, with Kimberley Lewis Parsons and Shea O’Neil Adelson
Episode 76: Confidence with Nicole Kalil
Episode 82: Accessible Activism with Kate Schatz
Danielle shares the talk that she wrote, crafted and presented through a 30 day Speaker Intensive. The Talk is called Connect The Dots of Your Life for Confidence in Your Future.
If you are interested in participating in a future speaker intensive please visit: www.territrespicio.com to sign up for her next cohort starting in January 2023.
You can care about a cause deeply and at the same time be overwhelmed into inaction. When the issues are big and complex, like racial injustice and reproductive healthcare rights, it’s easy to feel like you can’t make a difference.
In this episode we talk with with feminist author and activist Kate Schatz about how to start where you are with what you have in order to take action for social change. We discuss using the power of conversation, parenting as activism, and how any action you take matters… even if nobody else sees it and even you can’t know the impact that you had.
If you like this episode, consider sharing it with a friend or on social media. You can find us on Instagram @theoppositeofsmalltalk
Contact Us to suggest a topic or guest for the podcast.
From giving feedback to communicating a project delay to saying no to someone… there are many conversations that can make us uncomfortable. In this solo episode of the podcast, Kristy shares 6 tips for having a difficult conversation.
If you’re looking to improve your workplace communication, you can hire Kristy to work with you one-on-one to build your skills. Visit www.kristyolinger.com to learn more and book a free consultation.
This episode was recorded live on Instagram. Follow Kristy @ko.communication for tips to communicate better at work to make work easier.
As we enter a holiday season of increased expectation and decreased time, stress happens. Caitlin Donovan, Author of the book The Bouncebackability Factor and host of FRIED the burnout podcast says stress in and of itself is not a bad thing. However, burnout is a different story. In this episode, we talk about our own burnout stories, the role that companies play, and why beautiful spaces matter.
Visit us at www.theoppositeofsmalltalk.com and subscribe to receive show notes by email.
Continue the conversation with us on Instagram @theoppositeofsmalltalk
Email us any time at theoppositeofsmalltalkpodcast@gmail.com
Working with a coach can provide immense benefits to your life. In this episode Danielle talks about the way her life has changed as a result of working with a life coach. By taking time to reflect on who she is, how she shows up in the world with the help of a coach has led her to make more intentional choices and steer her life in the direction she wants and help others in the process. If you are ready to start workng with a life coach or just want to learn more about the impact that coaching can have in your life visit Danielle's website at www.daniellemccombs.com and schedule a complimentarty exploritory session.
Though the average person is not likely to hit the Powerball in their lifetime, financial health and freedom is attainable as long as you heed this wake up call and realize that financial ignorance is not bliss. In this episode, Danielle and Kristy talk with financial expert Kimberlee Davis about why you should care for your financial health with the same effort you put into your physical health, the importance of being open and transparent about money in a relationship, and how societal norms around gender roles can put women at a financial disadvantage even when they are the breadwinner in a household.
Book: The Fiscal Feminist
***If you are looking for a coach to help you on your self-development journey, you can hire Danielle. Book a free exploratory session at www.daniellemccombs.com
Workplace communication is a skill and skills get better with practice. This is great news. It means that no matter where you are in terms of communication ability, you can improve. In this episode, Kristy shares the 10,000 hour rule, the difference between practice and intentional practice, and a sports example of dramatic improvement without investing more time practicing and instead paying better attention.
If you wish that meetings were more effective and more fun? Join Better Meetings starting November 7th. Seven days to get better meetings. www.kristyolinger.com/meetings
If your team struggles with communication, you can hire me as your facilitator. I teach workshops and design team development programs that give you the strategies to communicate better together.
Contact Kristy for more information about available workshops and consulting.
Follow on Instagram @KO.Communication
Follow on TikTok @KO.Communication
Nicole Kalil was playing an Oscar-worthy performance as a confident leader at a fortune 100 finance company while on the inside she was having a totally different experience. Now she is a confidence sherpa, leading people to discover how to build their own confidence.
In this episode we talk about how to grow the trust in ourselves, letting go of the idea of being all things to all people, and why the hard moments are magic.
Website: www.nicolekalil.com
Book: Validation is for Parking
Are you looking for a coach to help you on your self-development journey? You can hire Danielle. Book a free consultation at www.daniellemccombs.com
The podcast turns 3 today! In this mini-episode we reflect on lessons learned and talk about the future. We announce a format change. In addition to our regular episodes, which we launch every other week, Danielle and Kristy will be doing shorter, solo episodes. In these episodes Kristy will share workplace communication strategies and Danielle will share insights from life coaching.
** If you need a coach to help you on your journey of self-discovery, you can hire Danielle. Danielle McCombs Coaching
Inclusive Teaming is not defined by a team with differences, but by a team that actively and productively manages those differences—a team that is in the habit of Inclusion.
In this episode, we talk with Kimberley Lewis Parsons and Shea O’Neil Adelson about the team norms that detract from inclusion and what to do instead.
We are all part of teams, wether it’s a neighborhood association, the PTO, a sports team, or a traditional work team… there are valuable actions that you can do as a group to amplify inclusivity. Learn them in this episode.
Visit us at www.theoppositeofsmalltalk.com/challenge to learn how to gain the confidence to live a life you love.
Should you need a coach, you can hire Danielle. Find her at www.daniellemccombs.com
Today’s leaders need more than power and control to get the best from their teams; they need to connect.
In this episode Michelle K. Johnston shares powerful findings based on interviews with leaders around the globe that shows how
leaders' ability to connect with themselves, their teams, and their organizations defines their ultimate success—or failure.
It’s a seismic shift in leadership… do you (or your boss) need a retrofit?
You don’t have to be working in commercial real estate to appreciate this episode and learn valuable insights about what it means to raise your hand and lead a volunteer organization. Tiffany English is the immediate past president of CREW Network, an organization that is transforming the commercial real estate industry by advancing women globally. In this episode Tiffany talks about the importance of knowing your why, setting commitments and boundaries, and stepping into a leadership role with the mindset of a life-long learner instead of a mindset of having something to prove.
Maria Belanic lost her oldest son to cancer in 2009 and now serves as a grief specialist with a mission to empower mothers on the roller coaster of grief shifting their experience of brokenness to inner peace. In this episode we discuss what grief is, why it is misunderstood, and what to say (and what not to say) to someone who is grieving.
Are you ready to choose your life? Join the 'Choose Your Life' challenge to give you the confidence to life a life you love. www.theopposietofsmalltalk.com/challenge
After attending auctioneering school for fun, Dia Bondi translated the techniques she learned into a program called Ask Like an Auctioneer that prepares women to ask for more and leave nothing on the table. In this episode, Dia shares what the zone of freaking out is and why it’s a good thing, the importance of knowing the why behind your ask, and how shaping your question to get a yes is limiting your potential.
The world needs superheroes… and not all superheroes wear capes, but they all possess superpowers. Michael Tertes, founder of The University of Superheroes, believes each person has a unique set of superpowers to offer the world. In this episode Kristy and Danielle speak to Michael about his passion for this work and a few simple ways to begin the journey to discovering your superpowers within.
When Keith Rovinelli applied to be a firefighter, he expected to leave his uninspiring day job behind to follow in his father’s footsteps. But during the firefighter application process something unexpected happened. Keith started a new job in HR, using a different set of skills to serve people through supporting their development, which he found rewarding and fulfilling. When the offer came in from the fire company, instead of choosing one path, Keith designed a plan that would enable him to serve both organizations in an impactful way. In this episode Danielle and Kristy talk with Keith about what it’s like to have two careers, how they contribute to each other, and what to do if you are interested in a dual-career path.
This win at all costs, never show weakness, don’t ask for help style of masculinity is not serving us well. It causes division and keeps us separate. This is because in unhealthy masculinity, the need to dominate causes lack of willingness to listen openly to others and an inability to connect on a human level.
There is another way. In this episode Christopher Veal, the author of The Whole Man, joins Danielle and Kristy to talk about what it means to be a Whole Man and how as a society we can evolve masculinity.
Book: The Whole Man; Evolving Masculinity by Christopher Veal
Have you ever wanted to change something about your life and struggled to take the leap? Then this episode is for you. From being a native New Yorker who packed up her life and moved to San Francisco in 2016, to more recently transitioning out of a 20 year career in commercial real estate to become a Co-Active Institute trained coach, Danielle McCombs is no stranger to big life changes. In this episode Kristy interviews Danielle about her experience with change; how she got off auto-pilot to live more intentionally, the role of intuition, and how this podcast and our amazing guests sparked the idea for a career path more aligned with her values.
If you’re ready to live a more intentional and fulfilling life, schedule a free exploratory coaching session here: www.daniellemccombs.com
Pictures, models and frameworks, metaphors, and storytelling are all ways we can communicate ideas visually. In this episode, Kristy and Danielle talk with Todd Cherches about the importance of visual thinking and communication and explore the tools, tips, and techniques that help turn your vision into reality.
Filter Quality (FQ) is how well an individual can prioritize what deserves their response and what doesn’t. Danielle and Kristy talk with Dr. John Tuders about why filtering is so important and how to apply a process including a personalized set of filtering questions to any situation to make better decisions about what deserves your most precious and finite resource… your time.
In this episode Elena Sonnino shares insights about how to inhabit your joy using small nudges. A nudge, according to Elena, is a pattern disruptor that meets you where you are and helps you to take a step forward. It turns your walls into windows or doorways. The best part is, nudges are easily accessible. At the end of the interview, Danielle challenges Kristy to complete a week of these nudge activities. With the magic of editing, Kristy reports back on her experience at the end of this episode.
n this episode we get curious about understanding masculine and feminine energy and finding your feminine genius with career coach and spiritual guide Gina Marotta. We all have both masculine and feminine energy and while a healthy state is an integration of the two everyone has a home-base energy that is where they are their best selves. Those with a feminine home-base can feel unfulfilled in masculine spaces. Finding your feminine genius is about identifying your natural born talent… which will bring you joy, ease, and fulfillment.
You can get Gina's tools to access your feminine genius (heart meditation, genius reflection practice, and oracle card reading) and learn about individual coaching and corporate training programs with Gina at www.ginamarotta.com.
Are you curious about a career change but feeling like it means walking away from all that you’ve accomplished so far? What if that idea couldn’t be further from the truth? In this episode Monique Valcour, executive coach and speaker, shares the mindset shifts we need to make career changes that align with our values and interests and bring us what we want in both our career and life. We also talk about the four components of a stable career and why creating and sharing your career story is important. This topic hits home for Danielle and Kristy, who have both made significant career changes in at the start of this year.
The meaning of work has been forever changed by our experiences over the last couple of years. Now more than ever, there is broader recognition of the importance of wellbeing to help individuals and businesses thrive. Danielle and Kristy talk with Mari Ryan, author and speaker, about workplace wellness and what individuals and companies can do to ignite engagement and fuel results.
Prior to recording our episode together, we had a blast with Linda Ugelow as she took us through some vocal warm up exercises. We are sharing this session so that you can listen and practice along with us. Save it for your next big work presentation or practice every morning so that you're ready to speak as you move through the day. Enjoy!
Have you experienced stress and anxiety around speaking? Maybe you’ve found ways to cope with it so that you can do the work presentation or give a toast at an important event. But what would it be like if you could move past the fear and actually enjoy time in the limelight? In this episode Linda Ugelow, an author and speaking empowerment coach, shares the Inner Freedom Framework that helps her clients go from anxious speakers to delighting in the limelight.
Be sure to check out the bonus companion episode, where Linda takes us through some vocal warm ups. Download and practice along with us so that you’re ready to speak up when it matters.
Danielle and Kristy talk with Dr. Elia Gourgouris, the happiness doctor, about the paths to lasting happiness. We contemplate being grateful in the midst of adversity, why forgiveness equals freedom, and the influence of our personal brand on our lives. Later, Kristy shares a new strategy for journaling and how it has changed the volume and content of her daily journal practice.
At just 7 years old Guy Mercandante started gambling at his parent’s neighborhood poker game. By the time he was 9, he was memorizing cards and winning games with older teenagers while smoking and drinking coffee. As the years went on, the stakes got higher as he gambled in all night games while maintaining multiple day jobs. At 26, with the encouragement of his brother, Guy went into recovery and became a non-gambling compulsive gambler. In this episode Guy shares his experience and thoughts about why an addiction recovery anniversary date can be a dangerous thing, how the concept of higher-power is helpful when you can’t trust your own will, and why rainy days and Mondays get addicts down.
In this episode we are talking about The Great Resignation, and how we should be calling it The Great Realization. While there has been much published on the topic, Mike believes that we are talking about the wrong things. It's not about compensation, benefits, or even flexibility.... it's about giving employees autonomy, development opportunities, and human compassion. We need to stop asking "why are they resigning?" and come to a realization about how to be the types of leaders that prioritize helping people reach their potential.
When you have a physical ailment, it’s natural to focus on finding a physical solution. But you are so much more that just a physical being. You are emotional and social and intellectual and more. In this episode Danielle and Kristy talk with Dr. Tomi Mitchell, a physician and a Mental Health & Wellness Coach, about holistic wellness. We cover what burnout looks like, ideas to care for all aspects of your wellness, and how to encourage others in your life to do the same. Later in the episode Kristy and Danielle discuss the idea of doing a retrospective on the calendar year and the method of stop, start, continue.
In this episode Danielle and Kristy talk with Janese Murray, a thought leader in the field of diversity and inclusion, about race in the United States. We touch on critical race theory; what it is, what it isn’t, and what you can do about it. We talk about why laws are important but not enough, and how personal stories can make big impacts in the hearts and minds of individuals. The outlook is optimistic, some days… but culture change is a long game and it can be tough to know if it's going well. Ironically, resistance can be a signal that we're on the right track.
Follow us on Instagram @theoppositeofsmalltalk
If you think that working hard is enough to ensure career success, you’re missing a big piece of the pie. Susan M. Barber, the author of The Visibility Factor, shares how a pivotal conversation with her mentor opened her eyes to the importance of visibility and changed the trajectory of her career. In this episode we talk about what it means to be visible at work and why it’s important, Sue shares the process that worked for her, and we discuss how to embrace visibility in a way that works for you. Later, Kristy and Danielle talk about new research from Journal of Personality and Social Psychology about deep conversation and why we should consider initiating the opposite of small talk, even with strangers.
As children we have a natural tendency towards the superpowers of curiosity, resilience, authenticity, compassion, and playfulness. Somewhere along the way, the customs of adulthood lead us to prioritize efficiency and control. In this episode, we talk with Lynae Steinhagen, co-author of the new book The Five Lost Superpowers. We talk about appreciative inquiry (looking for what is working), the lifelong practice of ‘both/and’, and the importance of understanding your locus of control. We also all share the advice we would give to our younger selves. Later, Kristy retracts her opinion around the book Untamed and shares a funny story about knowing yourself.
Confucius told us that if we choose a job we love, we’ll never work another day in our lives. This idea that we need to find our singular passion is a message that starts in our childhood and weighs on us as adults. Terri Trespicio is challenging us to rethink the conventional wisdom around what we need to succeed in her new book, Unfollow Your Passion. In this episode we talk about owning your story, the value of staying in your comfort zone, and why embracing boredom could be your path to creativity and passion.
We’ve all been there. That feeling of complete overwhelm and too much to do, when you say ‘Yes’ to every opportunity that comes towards you. In this episode we talk with Becky Morrison, author and happiness coach, about untangling the mess of your to do list so you can make intelligent decisions on what to let go of and then make better decisions moving forward. We cover why it’s so hard for most people to say no, the ways we can say no, and how to set yourself up to do more of what matters to you and less of all the rest. Later, Kristy shares a life hack about in-person networking in the digital age and we wrap with our pluses and deltas.
Visit us at www.theoppositeofsmalltalk.com and subscribe to receive show notes by email.
Continue the conversation with us on both Facebook and Instagram @theoppositeofsmalltalk
Email us any time at theoppositeofsmalltalkpodcast@gmail.com
When something negative is weighing you down, your first instinct might not be to show gratitude. But that’s exactly what Karl Staib has found helpful in his life and recommends to clients with his Dig to Fly method. Karl is a speaker and coach that helps people understand their struggles and turn them into stepping stones. We talk about reflection and gratitude, meditation and journaling, and the benefits of an evening routine and managing your thoughts right before bed.
This is episode 50! We are so thrilled to hit this milestone. We appreciate you for listening and we want to know how to make the next 50 episodes even better. Take the listener survey to share your feedback.
Creativity is our elemental human gift and has been proven to influence resilience, confidence in the face of uncertainty, critical thinking, empathy, and more. Dr. Caroline Brookfield is a speaker who leverages research and data to help audiences realize the value of embracing everyday creativity. In this episode we discuss what creativity is, the benefits of being creative, how our inner critic and fear of judgement hold us back, and the ways to tap into your creative self.
Continue the conversation with us on both Facebook and Instagram @theoppositeofsmalltalk
On September 11, 2001, sixteen employees of Baseline Financial Services remained on the 77th and 78th floors of Two World Trade Center not knowing that a second plane targeting the towers was about to crash directly into their offices. Twelve would survive. On this 20th anniversary of that tragic event, Ed Zier, former COO of Baseline joins us to tell the story that day and what followed. It is a true story of leadership amid growth and adversity.
Continue the conversation with us on both Facebook and Instagram @theoppositeofsmalltalk
Danielle and Kristy have very different approaches to setting goals. We speak with Kelly Travis, a health and success coach, about how she works with clients to help them realize what they actually want for themselves and create a sustainable action plan to achieve their big scary goals. We cover why knowing your core values is foundational to setting goals, how your personality and preferences influence the process, and why to ask yourself ‘why’ you’re even interested in a specific goal in the first place. Through our discussion we recognize that there is not one right way to set goals. You can be a focused checklist person like Kristy or a more flexible achiever like Danielle.
Danielle and Kristy talk to Todd Sylvester, a Mindset Coach for those struggling with with drug or alcohol addiction, anxiety, depression, self-hatred, and more. Todds helps clients to recognize their self-talk bully and replace those thoughts. In this episode we talk about why you should give your negative thoughts a name, how to create a champion playlist of thoughts, and what a Kairos moment is.
Visit us at www.theoppositeofsmalltalk.com and subscribe to receive show notes by email.
Continue the conversation with us on both Facebook and Instagram @theoppositeofsmalltalk
Email us any time at theoppositeofsmalltalkpodcast@gmail.com
Core values are the fundamental beliefs of a person. Knowing your unique core values is a powerful tool to align your time and resources to what is important to you. This helps you let go of things that don't align with your principles so that you feel less overwhelmed. Danielle and Kristy talk about what core values are, why they are important, and how to apply this information in real life. Download the core values activity to discover your core values.
Kristy shares an observation about going to the doctor and a life hack about how to call a person’s attention to a negative behavior without actually saying it.
Continue the conversation with us on both Facebook and Instagram @theoppositeofsmalltalk
Email us any time at theoppositeofsmalltalkpodcast@gmail.com
Many of us are finding ourselves excited about re-entering the world, while at the same time feeling hesitant. This next phase of the pandemic has brought a new set of circumstances to navigate and questions to ponder. This is a roundtable discussion with Rashanda Udekwu and Amy Bradac about re-entering the world.
Visit us at www.theoppositeofsmalltalk.com and subscribe to receive show notes by email.
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43% of women leave the workforce to have children and if they are out for just 3 years they lose 37% of their lifetime compensation power. Danielle and Kristy talk with Ashley Connell, Founder and CEO of Prowess Project, an organization dedicated to helping women re-enter the workforce by providing resources for connection, upskilling, and jobs. We cover other staggering statistics, male allyship, and how dealing with a tantrum-throwing two year old could make you the perfect candidate to manage executive stakeholders.
In this episode we also both commit to a new challenge called ‘75 medium’ and discuss a fact check from Episode 42: Childfree by Choice.
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Danielle and Kristy talk with Julie Brown about what it is like to be childfree by choice. 48% of women between ages 15 to 44 don’t have kids, yet often childless women face unwelcome commentary and are asked to give an explanation. We talk about the need to normalize being childfree, how not to respond when someone tells you that they’ve chosen to be childless, and exactly how many cats you need to own before earning the title of ‘crazy cat lady’.
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It’s been just over a year since the death of George Floyd drove our increased awareness of social injustice and of our own white privilege. Big Talk about Whiteness is one of our most downloaded episodes and it was a catalyst for us to be more open to personal conversations… to live up to our name and be willing to engage in more than small talk even when it's uncomfortable. Enjoy this rebroadcast and be sure to check out our other episodes about social justice; confronting bias, black binder, and equity matters.
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Danielle and Kristy talk all about social media. We cover our early experiences, the upsides, and the pitfalls. We argue about the level of responsibility that tech companies should have in helping individuals to avoid social media addiction. Danielle and Kristy also discuss the inaugural 30-day Growth Mindset challenge that wrapped up this week.
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Danielle and Kristy talk about psychological safety with Nils Davis, an author, trainer, and podcast host in the field of Product Management. We talk about what psychological safety is and why it’s important. Nils provides a series of practical tips to build psychological safety with others. We also talk about how to have psychological safety with yourself and why you might want to stop using self-deprecating humor. Danielle and Kristy geek out over their favorite podcasters reinforcing the primary philosophy of this podcast about how to live your best life.
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Danielle and Kristy talk to Michelle Anne Johnson, a consultant and facilitator that helps leaders prepare for high-visibility presentations with her research based framework, the ACP Presence model. We talk about what authenticity means, barriers people face in being authentic, and how authenticity is an ongoing practice… particularly since we grow and evolve over time. Danielle shares a productivity life hack that has been working for her.
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Danielle and Kristy talk to Dan Allbaugh, a game enthusiast and author of the children’s book The Gritty Little Lamb. We talk about how everyone can learn new things from playing games, what it means to have a growth mindset, and the value of the word ‘yet’.
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Danielle and Kristy talk to Christina McFadden, an experiential facilitator who uses improv to teach leadership. We talk bout the rules of improv and applying them to how you show up as a leader. We do an improve activity related to compliments. Christina challenges Danielle and Kristy to know what delights each other as part of working together. Christina also shares some highlights of her travels. She has been to all 50 US states and 30 countries.
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Danielle and Kristy talk to Janelle Scales, an anti-bias consultant, about confronting bias. It was an honest conversation about recognizing your own bias and how to work on changes internally and externally. We covered several examples of how marginalized groups are denied access through systemic issues as well as long standing biases that need to be challenged.
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Danielle and Kristy talk to Danielle Bayard Jackson, author, podcast host, and certified coach specializing in female friendships. We talk about what a tough love friendship is, how to sustain friendships, and what Dunbar says about the cognitive cap on the number of friendships you can reasonably maintain. Kristy and Danielle also ponder what a mid-life crisis is and talk about plusses and deltas.
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Danielle and Kristy talk to Elaine Blais, Life Coach, Author, Speaker and passionate encourager. We talk about self-doubt and how noticing without judgment can be a powerful catalyst for change. Kristy shares a life hack for when you are streaming shows and movies.
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Danielle and Kristy talk to Stacey Shipman, a facilitator that encourages people to relinquish the formal protocols that are stifling our personality and ideas. We talk about what it means to be bold and the conditions that create the boldness needed to move through transition without losing yourself. Danielle shares a life hack about staying connected with friends.
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Danielle and Kristy talk to Dr. Kara Strauss, a doctor of physical therapy who takes a holistic approach to patient care that empowers people with the knowledge and understanding of their own bodies so they can live to their maximum potential. We cover how accumulated stress presents as all kinds of pain in the body, why breathing is so special, and you can befriend your bear with acknowledgement, movement, bonding and more.
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Danielle and Kristy review the past year, answer listener questions, and look to the future. This episode was recorded live on Dec 30, 2020 in The Opposite of Small Talk facebook group.
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Danielle and Kristy talk to Katie Grimes, an International Sober Dating Coach, about love addiction and why she doesn’t want you to be “drunk in love.” We talk about the ways love addiction can manifest in your life, the difference between chemistry and connection, and how to move forward to find healthy relationships.
Also in this episode, we get curious about why single people don’t tend to include pictures in holiday cards and Kristy shares a holiday card related life hack.
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This episode features Tovah Cook. Tovah is an accomplished brand creative leader who seeks justice in her daily work. She personally felt the pain and suffering of her Black brothers and sisters killed by the police. She began to challenge her peers to focus on actual movement by turning her pain into art.
Tovah created Black Binder, A Notebook for Activists and Accomplices. This is a collection of curated prompts designed to propel anti-racist questions into actions and solutions for black activists and their accomplices. We discuss how to use Black Binder to take action.
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With the holidays coming up and families that may have very differing opinions when it comes to any number of things, we thought it would be a good time to learn how to disagree without being disagreeable. Michael Bryant is our guest, known for helping people get 'unstuck', today he's lending his wisdom to help us improve our relationships when we disagree.
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Crazy busy isn’t a badge of honor, it’s a warning sign. Danielle and Kristy talk with productivity mentor Judy Dang about the factors that lead us into a frenzied crazy busy state. While it can sometimes be inefficiencies in how we work or mismatched skill sets, it can just a as easily be things like comparison and people pleasing that cause us to say yes to too much. We talk about the mindset shifts and practical tips to help you calm the crazy and settle into a feeling of enoughness.
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We talk with Mary Jury, an experienced consultant, coach, and certified Dare to Lead™ facilitator about what it means to be resilient and the importance of being radically responsible for what you are attracting in your life. Danielle and Kristy celebrate the 1 year anniversary of starting the podcast.
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We interview Cheryl China, a Senior Vice President at Citizens Bank who despite career success found herself sometimes feeling like a fraud. Cheryl discovered that these feelings are normal and they even have a name, imposter syndrome. Kristy shares her experience doing a 24-hour marathon.
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We couldn’t resist the irony of dedicating an episode to small talk. You may be surprised to learn that despite the title of the podcast we both feel like small talk is an important part of building connections with people. In this episode our expert is Debra Fine, the author of The Fine Art of Small Talk. We talk about what small talk is, why it’s important, and Debra shares some of her best tips. Also in this episode, Kristy reports back on her challenge to watch the news.
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In this episode we are joined by Rashanda Udekwu and Isaiah Samuel, thought leaders on racial equity who have started a virtual round table of like-minded professionals called Equity Matters. Rashanda and Isaiah are community builders… working to impact one of the most pressing challenges of our time, inequality.
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In this episode we explore what it means to have digital presence and why it’s important even if you don’t own your own business or work in sales. Online presence expert Italina Kirknis shares guidance on how to build presence across multiple platforms. Kristy shares a life hack to create an advertising campaign for your awesomeness.
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In this episode we are talking about confidence and advocating for yourself with Rachel Druckenmiller, the Founder & CEO of Unmuted. Danielle reports back on her challenge from Episode 16 to volunteer Danielle gives Kristy a new challenge to help her get up to speed on current events.
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Bi-annual performance reviews, with all their formality, do have a purpose…. but feedback is something that should happen much more regularly than that. Feedback is a gift. It’s a chance to understand what’s working and what’s not and to grow from those lessons. So why don’t we give feedback more often? To explore the topic of feedback and how to create a learning culture we’ve brought in retired Brigadier General and Leadership expert General Tom Kolditz.
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In this episode Danielle & Kristy talk with Lesley Everett, a personal branding expert, on why having a personal brand is important and how to improve your visibility. We also do a mid-year check in about our 2020 goals.
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We can’t think of a topic more suited to our name than racial inequality and white privilege. We called on Kate Schatz to help us with the discussion. Kate is a New York Times bestselling author and an activist, public speaker, and educator. Danielle and Kristy share their background and experiences in the context of race. Kate provides encouraging and helpful guidance for white people who find themselves wondering “how can I be anti-racist?”.
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Kristy and Danielle talk with Kate Morrison, a beautiful person who has started and led several charitable initiatives to help the homeless in her home town of St. Louis. Kate shares her process for starting home-grown charitable drives and getting the goods to the people that need them. It’s easier than you think to start something like this yourself. You don’t have to know all the answers before you begin.
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In this episode Danielle and Kristy discuss empathy in leadership with Alain Hunkins. Alain is an author, keynote speaker, facilitator and coach that focuses on leadership. His new book Cracking The Leadership Code: Three Secrets to Building Strong Leaders launched as the #1 best selling new release in Business communication on Amazon.
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Danielle and Kristy sit down with Dr. John Stubblefield to discuss how to lead others through meeting their needs for safety & belonging, clarity, boundaries, and significance. Danielle gave us a life hack about listening to music.
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Danielle and Kristy check in with each other about sheltering at home during the pandemic. Kristy shares her best practices for working from home including creating the right working environment and engaging with co-workers virtually.
Danielle explains that a San Fransisco apartment is not ideal for ‘creating a dedicated work space’ and that she is never going back to wearing hard pants again.
Kristy explains what ‘Love is a Verb’ means and implores listeners to consider doing one loving thing for the people around them.
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Danielle and Kristy talk with Carolynn Morris of Orange Soul about how to find joy in the workplace, why we should rethink the golden rule in a way that acknowledges our diversity, and how interacting with an eye of curiosity fosters both empathy and respect.
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Danielle and Kristy sit down with Jay Coulter, founder of conquerworry.org, a global platform for mental health information. and author of the book Conquer Worry. We talk about strategies (also known as Protocols) that can be used to reduce stress.
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In this episode Danielle and Kristy sit down for a discussion with Chanee Momoko, a retired WBFF bikini pro who now teaches others how to have the mindset of a fitness lifestyle. We talk about ways to combat negative self-talk.
Chanee's website
Chanee's podcast is Your Highest Self and can be found wherever you listen to podcasts!
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Danielle shares her best advice about how to make new friends.
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Danielle and Kristy discuss the online talent assessment Clifton Strengths (formerly Strengths Finder) and how to apply the results to your life.
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Kristy and Danielle host an interview with Brian Olinger, who shares his knowledge and experience in reading body language.
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Kristy reports back on her last challenge, to reflect on the past decade. Danielle and Kristy talk about what it means to have a growth mindset. We introduce our first listener challenge, a simple idea to demonstrate growth mindset.
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Danielle and Kristy talk about goal setting and why having a goal is more important than achieving it. We discuss some methods that can be used to set goals. Danielle reports back on her challenge to try peanut butter Oreos and gives an Oreo eating life hack. Danielle gives Kristy a new challenge.
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Part 2 of our networking discussion, Kristy and Danielle discuss how to go from initially meeting someone into developing ongoing relationships and why you should report back when someone helps make a connection for you. Kristy gives a communication life hack about how to limit filler words.
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Danielle and Kristy discuss networking including what it is, different strategies for growing your network, and the ever important question of how to gracefully exit a conversation at a networking event.
Warning - some sound qualify issues in this episode…. Kristy was cold and her blanket rustles in the background. Oops. There is also a weird echo thing. Hang on for episode 4 where our audio is much better!
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Enjoy this mini-episode with a special Thanksgiving related hack. Thanks for listening!
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Danielle and Kristy talk about Reshma Saujani’s book, Brave Not Perfect and consider how the ideas relate to their lives. Kristy shares a hack related to sleep and how to get more time to yourself.
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In this episode Danielle and Kristy introduce themselves and cover the basics of what The Opposite of Small Talk is all about.
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In this episode we talk about originality and authenticity. Danielle gives a life hack about address management. Danielle gives Kristy a challenge during a time of work transition.
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#staycuriousandtalkbig
The Opposite of Small Talk is a podcast for curious people who know that there is no one right answer for how to live your best life.